


Delayed Reaction

by Infinite_J



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, percy jackson - Fandom
Genre: Alive Bianca di Angelo, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Percy doesn't go to Camp till age 14, Percy doesn't go to camp, The Great Prophecy (Percy Jackson)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:34:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27158701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Infinite_J/pseuds/Infinite_J
Summary: Percy never ended up at the Camp at age 12. He lived his life, moving from school to school with little friends, one being Grover. Over the years Percy had seen so many odd things, things that shouldn't be possible and no one else believed him. When a stranger on the subway tells him of a prophecy and then disappears, everything then starts to change.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood, Percy Jackson & Poseidon, Percy Jackson & Sally Jackson, Thalia Grace & Percy Jackson
Kudos: 13





	Delayed Reaction

"Mom, I'm not going to back that school or going to another boarding school!" He bellowed from his room. Unpacking his suitcase, he only just got home and he decided on the cab ride back that he would make the the first topic when he got in. "I want to go to a normal school and be a normal kid!" He huffed as he chucked out all of his dirty laundry.

"But you're not a normal kid Percy." His mom told him as she entered his room, she put the laundry basket on the floor. "When you're done put your dirty clothes in the basket, I'll wash them later." She then looked to her son. He had grown in the last year a lot, his black hair swept to one side as if the air just quickly blew it that way. He looked back at her, she could tell his mind was still on the argument, her sons brilliant sea green eyes gave her a piercing stare. "You're special Percy."

"Mom, I'm dyslexic and ADHD. That's not special. That's messed up." He said as he tossed all the dirty laundry from the floor to the basket. "I don't want to live away from you anymore mom. I want to be in the city, with you and Paul. I want to see my friends like Grover. I haven't seen him since Christmas. It's hard being away." He picked up the basket to give to his mom. She smiled at him and gave his cheek a loving stroke. 

"Oh Percy I know. I only sent you to those school because it was best for you. I wish you were here all the time too." She told him. She saw in his eyes that he was ready to continue arguing. "Okay look, we can discuss this over the summer. Maybe, just maybe we can talk about you going to Goode High School were Paul works." That was enough for Percy right now. He smiled and gave the basket to his mom. 

"I'm gonna go meet Grover in a little bit. Can he join us for dinner?" Percy asked her as he followed out of his room to the kitchen. 

"Of course, Grover is welcome always." She told him as she loaded the washing machine. "Blue sausages, Blue mash and for desert blue cake." Percy smiled at this, they always had blue food on special occasions, it started back before his mom met his step-dad Paul. It started when her previous husband, Gabe Ugliano, said there was no such thing as blue food. So his mother decided to try and make and eat blue food all the time. It was her way of making a peaceful protest against Gabe. Percy loved this about her and support her rebellious streak. When his mom finally kicked Gabe out because she had enough of his bullying and abusive behaviour to both of them Percy and his mom celebrated with blue foods for a week.

"Awesome mom, I'm going to go change and go meet him." He rushed to his room. He swapped his uniform for a pair of blue jeans, a plain grey top, his black sneakers and a jacket. It was summer but it was supposed to rain. He grabbed his keys and headed for the front door "I'm off, mom."

"Okay sweeties. Be back around 7" She told him as he left. He locked the door and made his way to Central Park where he would meet his oldest and best friend, Grover Underwood. Grover and him met when Percy was 10, he would protect Grover from bullies and get into all sort of fights. Not always because of Grover but it happened quite a few times. They went to school together until just before Percy turned 12. The school kicked him out because he apparently damaged a whole classroom, but Percy tried to tell them that his teacher, Mrs Dodds turned into this horrifying creature. But they told him there was no teacher by this name at that school. This wasn't the first time this had happened to Percy. Ever since then he constantly saw things other people didn't see. The year after the Mrs Dodds incident, he swore he saw a kids his age fighting a Minotaur, the one from Greek mythology, outside his window. No one believed him the next day. The year after that he saw this man, well he thought it was a man but he had the body of a lion and a large scorpion tail. He was dragging a punk rock looking kid and two others kids that he sort of recognised but couldn't place their names, he had only been there a week. He tried to get some of his classmates to look but by the time he got back from the dance with some of them they were gone. He then got kicked out a month later for getting in too many fights.

He was on the subway going to meet Grover and he swore that a man in a Hawaiian shirt, flip flops and a fishing rod in hand appeared on the train out of nowhere. He uttered the words "the prophecy will soon come to pass half-blood. You will not stay hidden much longer." He then gave Percy a solemn and dark look before his fishing rod changed into a trident, he slammed it onto the ground and a bright light blinded Percy and the man was gone. He looked around to see if anyone else saw what he just saw but no one looked in shock or awe at what just happened. It was the exact same as before. He got off the subway as quickly as possible when he got to his station and rushed to Central Park. He saw Grover sitting on a bench waiting for him. He rushed over to him. "Grover!" He basically shouted right at him.

" _Bla-ha-ha!_ " Grover yelped out, Percy shocked Grover so much he almost jumped out of his sneakers. Percy was used to that noise. He made it when he was nervous laughing, or scared or shocked. It was just the Grover noise and you had to interrupt it correctly, luckily Percy was pretty good at interpreting it. 

"Gods Percy, why would you scare me like that!?" He yelled.

"I'm sorry man. But the weirdest shit just happened on the train!" Percy told him with a rushed tone. He needed to get it all out before the details left him. He told Grover of the guy, how he looked and what he said to Percy before he disappeared. Grover looked at him intensely as he Percy told the story and when Percy finished Grover continued to stare at him for a moment thinking it over.

" _Bla-ha-ha!_ " Grover let out his classic nervous laugh and started to try and brush it off, "Percy it was probably some crazy dude!" 

"How do you explain the disappearing or the fact no one else acknowledged the situation!" Percy asked. He was annoy that Grover tried to brush it off, it sounded crazy of course but it made no sense."

"You said there was a bright light? Probably a flash bang? Or the lights freaked out on you? As for the people. Perce, this is New York. People see crazy stuff like that all the time." Grover told him. Grover gave valid answers for what Percy saw but it still didn't fit right with Percy. And as they changed the subject Percy could see the worry on Grovers face, he was hiding something but he wasn't going to tell Percy, not right now.

* * *

"Mom, we're back!" Percy announced as he and Grover walked in. They stayed at Central Park a bit catching up before heading to the arcade and comic shop before coming home. As they entered Percy could smell the sausages cooking. He looked towards the kitchen to see his mom checking on the sausages in the oven.

"Dinners almost ready" She told them as she closed the sausage. "Hi Grover, always good to see you."

"You too, Miss Jackson." Grover said smiling.

"Oh call me Sally Grover, you're practically family." She told him. "Paul will be home soon, he had meeting at work." And as if on cue Paul walked through the door.

"Hey guys." He said as he gave his wife a kiss. He turned to Percy and gave his step-son a quick hug, "Good to have you home Percy." He nodded to Grover, "Good to see you too, Grover."

"You too, Sir," Grover replied. Percy and Grover started to set the table for dinner. Paul was doing all different bits around the apartment. He was unloading his briefcase, helping in the kitchen and cleaning up the place.

"Oh Percy, here I got you a welcome home gift." Paul said as he grabbed a box from his briefcase. "They're books and their audiobook forms. I thought if your Dyslexia was acting up you could listen to the books instead or listen as you read and look at the pictures. Percy smiled and took to box and opened it. There were three books and audio CD's. They were titled: 'The Comparison Between the Greek Gods and Their Roman Forms', 'The Time Before The Olympians' and 'Poseidon - Lord of the Sea : Volume 1' Percy thanked Paul. They had bonded over Greek mythology and this is how they became so close in such a short time. Paul met Percy's mom almost instantly after Gabe was out of their lives. And Paul made Sally happy, the kind of happy Percy always wanted for his mother when Gabe was making their life hell. 

"Thanks Paul, these are great." Percy said, he went to his bedroom and put them on his desk next to his other books on Greek mythology and his practice sword, archery kit, spear and shield. To say Percy was really into Greek mythology was an understatement. He found practicing the fighting styles of greek heroes it helped with his ADHD and he had an aptitude to it. He would sometimes practice with Grover, they'd place games involving strategy and fighting. They both enjoyed it. They would go to Central Park or the North Woods or any old park really to practice in. Grover wasn't as skilled as Percy but he know a few moves. Last summer they set up an obstacle course for Percy to run through. They had a few other friends help out, throwing things at him, setting off traps. It was one of Percys fondest memories, they did it right before he got sent off to boarding school again. Percy rejoined Grover and Paul at the dining table as his mom started to load the table with the blue foods. They tucked into dinner and they discussed Percy's second boarding school of the year. They all knew how the first one ended, Percy told them how it wasn't as bad as the first one but if he was there longer he would've got kicked out sooner or later. Sally swerved the subject to Grover, asking him how home schooling has been as she wanted to avoid the public school talk with Percy right now. Percy knew what she was doing, she wasn't subtle about it but he was happy she did, even though he wanted to make his case again and again but he really did not want to talk about school. Grover said it was going well, he was up at the Long Island Sound a lot apparently, his dad liked to teach him at their summer house. Percy asked why he'd never been to this Summer house since they always hang out in the Summer but then Grover decided to swerve the conversation to Paul, asking about how job was. Paul went into about what he was teaching his students this year and that they were creating a Greek Mythology Class that he would be teaching, this caught Percys attention and drove the topic of Grovers secret summer house. 

"Yes, I've been pushing for this class for years. I've implemented Greek mythology, legends and stories into my English lessons and now I finally get a class all about Greek and Roman mythology." Paul told them, mainly talking to Percy though.

"That's awesome. A class I would actually get higher than an C in." They continued their little nerd for a while, discussing what Paul would teach, the best stories to tell and best books to base the tests on and all things like that. It was the only time you ever heard Percy enthusiastic about school. This didn't bode well for Sally as Percy would be adamant on going to that school but she drove that out of her mind for now. Once every one was finished with their food Sally leaped the table and went and got the blue cake and blue cookie. Once they finished eating Percy and Grover made to get up but Sally stopped them.

"Paul gave you his gift and now it's time for mine." She said, she didn't have anything in her hand and she didn't make to get up either leading Percy to wonder what it could be. "I know we normally don't go so early in the summer. But I thought we could do it twice this summer. We're going to go to Montauk for two weeks and Grover can come if he likes?" She said looking between the boys. Percy looked to Grover and they didn't even need to say anything. Of course he was going to go. 

"Yes, definitely Mi- Sally." Grover said. Percy and Grover fist bumped. Percy loved Montauk, they went every year on his birthday. It was the perfect place. They went to a cabin on the beach, and the seas was so clear and clean unlike the rivers in the main city. It was also where Sally met Percys father, it was still Sallys favourite place on earth. 

"Thats not all. We're going to the harbour and sailing down there." Sally saw Percys eyes light up. She knew how much he loved sailing, he took to it so easily when he first got taught. "Captain Percy will be sailing us down there and you can bring some of the Greek Mythology stuff for you and Grover to play with." Percy got up and gave his mom a massive hug.

"Thanks mom, best welcome home ever." He said pulling away from the hug. "When do we go?" 

"Two weeks. Plenty of time to settle back in, hang out with your friends." Sally told him, Percy saw this a reasonable. Two weeks was good. Sally looked over to Grover and asked, "Do you wanna stay the night Grover? You and Percy can watch some movie and hang out."

"Thank you Sally, I will." Grover replied smiling brightly. Percy and Grover went to his room to discuss all the stuff they can do at the Cabin. Paul went to his office while Sally cleaned up the dishes. 

"I know you're there." She said to the room, not taking her eyes off the dishes. A figure moved from the living room to the kitchen to reveal himself. She turned to look at him. "You were never good at that. I always know when you're here."

"His time is coming Sally. The Prophecy will come to pass next year. The boy will need to know the truth soon." The figure told her. He adjusted his cap slightly, giving his beard a scratch."

"I know. After our trip to Montauk I will tell him. 4 weeks that's all. And I'll send him to Camp."

"This is... risky but better than the end of the Summer." He paused for a moment. "Still going to Montauk?"

"Of course. It's my favourite place in the world. It's Percys favourite too. It's where we went to get away from Gabe. It's where Paul proposed. It's where I was gifted with Percy. It's... where I met you." She said as she avoided looking him in the eyes.

"It is my favourite place too. Goodbye Sally." The man said before disappearing once more.


End file.
